Protecting the health, safety and well-being of special care home and specialized care bed home residents is a priority for the government of New Brunswick.
Inspections are conducted to ensure the special care homes comply with regulatory requirements. Refer to Standards and Procedures for Adult Residential Facilities (2012) and the New Brunswick Regulations 83-77 under the Family Services Act (O.C. 83-412).
Inspections of special care homes and specialized care bed homes are completed annually are unannounced and usually take one to two days to complete. However, if there are reasons to believe that there are issues or concerns related to the health or safety of residents, additional visits may be made at any time to evaluate the situation and take appropriate action. If an area of non-compliance is found during a visit or a follow up, it will be indicated on the posted inspection report, and addressed appropriately. A follow up visit will be done to assure the corrective measures are in place
Special care home and specialized care bed home inspections are based on the following categories:
- Administration: The administration category addresses how well the overall administration and management of a special care home is carried out. The special care home must meet the requirements of the Standards and Procedures for Adult Residential Facilities (2012) and Regulations under the Family Services Act established for items such as approval process, licenses, policies and procedures, record keeping, insurance, etc.
- Personnel: This category addresses how well the facility ensures that staff employed at the facility is appropriately trained, has the required qualifications and is skilled to perform the tasks assigned. The operator of the special care home facility must ensure that there is a sufficient number of qualified and appropriately trained staff to provide the services and programs offered by the special care home.
- Environment and Security: This category addresses how well the facility maintains the resident environment to protect the health and safety of its residents, personnel and the public. The special care home must ensure that the building, equipment and surroundings are maintained in accordance with the Regulations under the Family Services Act. Applicable inspections by the Office of the Fire Marshall and Public Safety must be conducted annually as well.
- Resident Services: This category addresses how well the facility renders services to the resident. The special care home must meet the requirements of the Standard and Procedures for Adult Residential Facilities and Regulations under the Family Services Act for items such as resident care, medication management, community care services, food services, nutrition, money management etc.
- Social Environment: This category addresses how well the facility ensures that the residents and families are provided orientation upon admission and how well the facility prepares residents upon leaving the facility. The facility must also uphold the provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedom, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Health Act and the Human Rights Act.